which computer

[twyla]

I want a new PC to start recording on. Any suggestions on what PC is the best for homerecording?

[Bulls Hit]

Get yourself an intel i865 chipset motherboard, Pentium 4 2.6GHz or above with Hyperthreading, 800MHz FSB, at least 512MB of dual channel DDR400 ram, at least 1, but preferably 2 hard drives with 8MB cache & a decent soundcard such as an M Audio Audiophile or a Delta 44

[twyla]

Thank you for the info.
This is a stupid question:
For recording does brand matter (are any better than others)? Like Compaq, toshiba,vaio etc.

[HangDawg]

Don't BUY


BUILD

Or find someone to do it for you. Buy the best components you can afford. You will not regret it.

[twyla]

okay thanks, great to build, but what about a laptop. Would it be really stupid to get a laptop? It just sounds great to be able to not be tied to a desk

[beat amateur]

I had to answer a similar question a little while back (i.e., what computer to buy) and decided on a desktop PC, purchased from a company where I could specify the components, for the following reasons:

1. An experienced sound engineer strongly recommended I purchase a computer with an Intel Pentium chip, not an Athalon or whatever, because it was more likely to work better with audio software (multitrack recording or sequencing programs, etc.).

2. Desktop over laptop because I was buying a machine primarily dedicated to recording (which I think is also good advice) which for me didn't require travelling and the desktop seemed easier to upgrade myself.

3. I went with this particular company because it allowed me to specify the components I wanted at a better price than buying a premade system and upgrading a couple of things. However, I've since seen cheaper prebuilt systems with all the components I need that I would purchase instead.

Regardless of the above, it seems reasonable to figure out exactly what your entire setup will be now so you can plan for the chipset, soundcard, RAM, etc. that will meet your needs down the road.